


I'm Owl You Need

by crowdedcafe



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Owls, Pro Volleyball Player Bokuto Koutarou, birdkeeper akaashi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-10
Updated: 2016-07-15
Packaged: 2018-07-22 20:11:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7452418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crowdedcafe/pseuds/crowdedcafe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the local zoo's owl exhibition, professional volleyball player Bokuto Koutarou falls in love with the great horned owl's handler, Akaashi Keiji.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. owl be damned

**Author's Note:**

> this started bc my gf went to a bird show and was so adorably excited about it
> 
> sorry about owl the owl puns

Bokuto couldn’t sit still on the metal bench, constantly ringing his hands, tapping his foot, and straining his neck to see over the people sitting in the row in front of him. He had quite a few dirty looks thrown his way, but he was just too excited to care. After all, it wasn’t every day that the local zoo was home to an owl exhibition and show. He would know, being a dedicated follower to all of the traveling exhibition’s social media accounts.

Ever since he was little, Koutarou had a strong interest in birds, owls in particular. He’d sit on the wooden front porch with his grandmother, tiny plastic binoculars held firmly against his eyes and a field guide on the local birds open in his lap. He’d record any and all ‘hoots’ and ‘whos’ breaking the silence of warm summer nights until he could match each to a specific owl.

Hell, even his  _ hair  _ was based on the birds he loved so much.

And so, when he heard about the upcoming show, he was the first in line to buy a ticket.

The wide metal door opened slowly, and a parade of khaki overall clad people walked into the enclosure, chattering amongst themselves and toting carriers of varying sizes in each hand. Flashes of browns and tans and whites could be seen through the metal bars. 

Bokuto immediately stilled, eyes focused on the last, and largest, of the cages. Through the bars, he could make out the impressive wings and dappled feathers of the greatest of all owls.  _ The great horned owl. _

The handlers opened their respective cages and carefully brought out the birds one at a time, allowing them to perch on their leather-covered forearms. Bokuto’s eyes flitted happily from one bird to the next, taking in the difference in the patterns and facial disk structure. He inwardly (maybe outwardly, judging by the concerned stares of nearby parents) squealed at the fuzzy filoplumes surrounding each owl’s beak.

The show began before Bokuto knew it, handlers showing off and explaining what made each owl unique. The predators silently flew around the enclosure, flipping and spiraling through the air in ways that awed the audience. Koutarou didn’t pay much attention the educational portion of the show, already well acquainted with owl facts. Instead, he was mesmerized by the birds themselves, eyes tracking each movement like a hawk and cheering at even the smallest display.

The show itself ran just scant of half an hour, and flew by much too quickly for Bokuto’s liking. The birdkeepers were still collecting their birds when Bokuto left his seat, carefully climbing over small children to reach the aisle and rushing to the door just to the left of the enclosure, where he knew the handlers would exit after they finished packing up their things. He had question after question concerning the owls’ care lined up. He rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, waiting for the great horned owl’s dark-haired handler to emerge

“Well owl be damned,” Bokuto whispered, his heart skipping a beat as he saw the handler’s pretty face up close for the first time. He was all long lashes, high cheekbones, and droopy eyes. And just Koutarou’s type.

Instead of inquiring about the owls, Bokuto made a hasty retreat. But not before stopping at the zoo’s information desk to purchase a ticket for the owl show the following week. Koutarou wasn’t just a coward. He was a coward in love.

 

* * *

 

“You don’t understand, Akinori,” Akaashi said, waving his arms around as if that would get his point across to the large owl perched in front of him, “He’s just so  _ cute.” _

While it wasn’t the lowest moment of his life, Akaashi was slightly concerned that he was talking to a bird of prey about his crush, rather than talking to his crush. But really, he had no other options. Kenma, his only good friend, had already kicked Keiji out of his apartment after hearing about wide, golden eyes and a perfectly cut jawline one too many times. 

And so, Akaashi made his way to the owl cafe he worked in, despite it being his day off. 

Shirofuku set down his cappuccino with a concerned look, clearly overhearing Akaashi’s one-sided conversation with the owl. Keiji cut off her worried questioning with a shake of his head. He didn’t want to have to explain his little crush on a man with questionable hair to anyone else. She walked back behind the counter with a look that read,  _ if this happens again, you’re talking. _

Akaashi’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and he quickly went to retrieve it, sighing when he saw a message from Kenma.

_ From Kozume Kenma: This your boy? _

_ Attachment: 1 image _

He loaded the picture, breath catching when he say the familiar face of the man from the zoo. His strange hair was a bit more disheveled, and he held a towel up to his forehead, wiping away the sweat that had gathered there. Keiji’s eyes were drawn to the sweat beading between the man’s defined collarbones, and to the victorious gleam in his honey eyes. What drew his attention the most, though, was the way the national volleyball team’s jersey stretched across his broad chest.

_ To Kozume Kenma: YES _

_ To Kozume Kenma: How’d you find him _

A moment passed before Akaashi’s phone buzzed again.

_ From Kozume Kenma: I asked Kuroo if he knew of any owl obsessed guys with crazy hair _

_ From Kozume Kenma: Apparently this is his ‘asshole of a best friend’ so have fun with that _

At first, Akaashi couldn’t believe his luck. What were the chances that his best friend’s friend was best friends with the man he had a crush on? But then he remembered ludacris story after ridiculous story after embarrassing story Kuroo told him about his best friend and groaned. Loudly.

_ To Kozume Kenma: This’ll be a real hoot _


	2. pawsitively cunning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bokuto pines and kuroo's plan to get this romance off the ground takes flight

The next week went by in a blur for Bokuto, whose thoughts were consumed by the pretty owl handler’s striking features. He had seen quite a few pretty people in his days, even dated a few throughout high school and college, but something about this man put him above the rest. Perhaps it was the way his dark curls framed his face, or the way his straight nose sat regally above full pink lips. For Bokuto, the second owl show was less about seeing the birds he loved and more about admiring the brunet from afar.

Once again, Bokuto found himself fidgeting on the owl enclosure’s familiar metal bench. He managed to snag a front row seat this week, which was great for him, but not so great for the children who had to peer over the tall man’s broad shoulders.

The show wasn’t set to begin for another thirty minutes, so Bokuto pulled his phone out of his pocket, only to see that he had received a text from Kuroo.

_From >:3c:  hey bro did you see him yet _

_To >:3c: what who _

_From >:3c: the hot owl dude _

_From >:3c: i know youre at that show again _

Koutarou blushed. He hadn’t realized that his crush had been that obvious.

_To >:3c: … _

_To >:3c: the show hasn’t started yet _

_From >:3c: if you talk about him again at practice im gonna kick ur smitten ass _

Scowling, Bokuto pocketed his phone. At least he admitted that he had a crush on someone, unlike his best friend, who would vehemently deny any accusations about his fascination with a certain dark-haired firefighter’s thighs. Daichi, if he remembered correctly.

The gate creaked open slowly, and Bokuto’s eyes were glued to the procession of birdkeepers and their cages. He saw the massive cage first, before zeroing in on the unfairly attractive handler. He walked with a certain amount of poise, Bokuto noticed. A straight back (hopefully straighter than he was, definitely straighter than Koutarou), long, lean legs, and feet that seemed to slide across the compacted dirt all combined into one graceful looking birdkeeper.

The show began, though this fact escaped Bokuto’s notice, seeing how his eyes never strayed from the great horned owl’s pretty handler. While he loved owls, Koutarou may have loved the gentle fluttering of the man’s eyelashes and the subtle rosy tint to his cheeks just a smidge more.  Much to Bokuto’s dismay, the show ended before he was done admiring his crush.

Before the handlers collected their owls and began walking out of the enclosure, Bokuto whipped out his phone and quickly snapped a photo of the man. Not for personal reasons, he decided. Just so he could show the picture to Kuroo at practice that evening. That’s all.

* * *

 

“Bro are you serious?” Kuroo wheezed, clutching his stomach, “You seriously took a _picture_ of the guy?”

“Let me live! I just wanted to show you what he looked like!” Bokuto spluttered, pulling his phone back to his chest protectively. The blush spreading across his face and down his neck rivaled the color of Kuroo’s jersey in high school.

“He is pretty,” Tetsurou said, patting his friend on the back, “I’ll give you that. And if Kenma’s friends with him, he’s gotta be a good guy.”

“Kenma’s friends with him?” Bokuto exclaimed excitedly, “And you didn’t tell me?”

“Yeah? Kenma told me he was asking about you yesterday.”

Bokuto’s eyes lit up as his jaw dropped open. “No way. Him? _Me?”_

Kuroo nodded, scrolling through his messages before showing the screen to his friend. Bokuto read the texts, eyes growing larger and blush growing deeper with every word. He turned away, covered his red face with his hands, and let out a muffled shriek. _He likes me!_

“But wait,” Bokuto began after he collected himself, “How’s he know I like owls?”

Kuroo gave him an incredulous look. “Dude. All of your shirts have owls on them. You wear owl studs every day. _You have owl hair.”_

“Oh. Yeah, that makes sense.”

The rest of practice went smoothly, the repetitive sounds of balls being spiked and shoes squeaking against the hard wooden floor only being interrupted by Kuroo’s teasing remarks about Bokuto’s crush.

 

* * *

 

_To kenma (stop changing my name to :3c): wait your friend works at the owl cafe right??_

_From kenma (stop changing my name to :3c): yes_

* * *

 

“Not that I’m complaining, but what are we doing here?” Bokuto asked as he and Kuroo walked through the glass door at the local owl cafe.

“I thought you might need a little cheering up, is all,” Kuroo shrugged, furiously typing something into his phone.

The cafe was a quaint little place. What was once a place someone called home now stood as a home for those who wished to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. Short with an aged brick facade and webs of intersecting ivy creeping up the sides, it looked like a cottage straight out of a fairytale amidst a forest of modern skyscrapers and apartment buildings.

Its best feature, however, were the dozen owls that resided inside.

Bokuto shook out his owl-patterned umbrella and dutifully placed it into the container tucked away in a nook next to doorway while Kuroo sauntered up to the counter.

“Y’know,” Kuroo drawled to the man cleaning the coffee grinder behind the counter, “I have a friend who’d turn his head all the way around for a chance to meet you.”

“While I appreciate the offer, Kuroo-san,” Akaashi replied, not looking back from his work, “I’m not interested in anyone right now.”

“Give him a chance, Akaashi,” Kuroo said, casually looking at his nails, “I’m sure you two would be two birds of a feather.”

Keiji turned around at this, wondering to himself who the catlike man could possibly be going on about. He immediately froze, catching sight of the head of spiked grey and black hair by the umbrella stand. _No._

Kuroo watched the man with a cheshire grin and tucked his hands into his back pockets. His work here was nearly done. In no time at all, the two lovebirds would be in cahoots, all thanks to one Kuroo Tetsurou.

After a small struggle with his umbrella, Bokuto finally looked up to the counter. He opened his mouth to ask what Kuroo was going on about and stopped suddenly, his heart lurching to his throat.

  
_There he was._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> everyone in this chapter is a huge dork i swear


End file.
